SUPER MONDAY

A motivational and informational morning message from Superintendent Willis

Week 4 ~ September 4th, 2023

Super Monday Message

Happy Labor Day! This is the 130th year of celebrating Labor Day as a national holiday in the United States. The holiday recognizes the many contributions of the laborers across the country. In the late 19th century and early 20th century there were a series of labor strikes and conflicts in many parts of the world. Labor day honors those that have sacrificed
On the morning of November 21st, 1927 hundreds of miners and their families gathered to strike about 500 miles from Piute County just outside a mining town called Serene, Colorado. The strikers had been meeting everyday for weeks to march in protest for better pay and conditions. After donuts and coffee together they marched from the mine toward town.
Their march was intercepted at the gate into town by a newly reformed state militia called the Colorado Rangers. The officers halted the group and insisted they disband. The strikers argued with them. As tempers flared an officer said “"If you want to come in here, come ahead, but we'll carry you out." An officer tried to pull an American flag from a teenage boy and a scuffle started where men, women, and boys were beaten with clubs. As the crowd of strikers continued to press forward through the gate the officers threw tear gas grenades into the crowd.
The crowd of strikers began hitting the officers with rocks and the officers retreated back to the town water tank. At the water tank two rows of officers stood ready with firearms aimed at the coming strikers. As the strikers continued marching the leading officer tried scaring the strikers by shooting over their heads. His officers responded by firing directly into the crowd. In seconds the street was littered with the dead and injured.
Half a dozen men were killed and several dozen were injured. 21-year-old Jerry Davis, who had led the group with an American flag, died in the hospital hours after. In addition to the stars and stripes, Davis’s flag was found stained with his blood and 17 bullet holes.
The aftermath of what was later named the Columbine Mine Massacre led state and national legislators to drafting many laws that protected American workers and their rights to the public square. The United States workforce is now 161 million strong and the unemployment rate is as low as it almost ever gets. We have many reasons to be grateful for the sacrifices of workers in the past and the present. Food is on our tables, roofs are on our homes, and our heads are full of knowledge because somebody got up and went to work. Have a great Labor Day and a great Week 4!

Super High Fives

Just a few of the awesome recent accomplishments that need a big thank you. 

• Super high five to Dallas Sylvester for always being willing to help on a moment's notice. Dallas is called upon by schools and several other agencies to translate periodically, usually without much notice. Dallas is a great asset to the school district.
• Super high five to the Oscarson Elementary staff for a fun Back-To-School-Night. The school song is usually my favorite part. The teachers and staff made it a fun and informational experience.

Other Super Information

• Thursday August 31st the school board approved a resolution to put the question of consolidating the elementary schools on the November ballot. The meeting on Monday September 11th at 6:00 PM, in the Piute High School Auditorium will still take place. This meeting will now be more of an informational Town Hall meeting as the formal Public Hearing has to be closer to election day and is scheduled for October 24th at 6:00 PM at Piute High School. Everyone is invited to both meetings. This link is to a community information folder regarding the proposal.

Super Weekly Schedule